Different things in life can cause stress in our everyday life. I want to share some ways with you that help me relax and relieve stress!
Welcome to another one of my blog posts! I hope you enjoy and take some tools away from this post to help you in your everyday life!
“Don't worry about the little things. You usually can’t control them. What you can control is how you react to those small things to cope with them in a positive way.” -Gabriella Tantillo
Coping skills to Help You Relax When Anxiety and Stress Occurs
I have had Epilepsy for a few years now. With epilepsy, there can always be moments where you can be highly anxious. I have been anxious in big crowds, when there’s a lot going on at once with loud music, in new places and other things. The reason for this for me, is because in a big crowd there’s a lot going on and I never know exactly when I can have s seizure. Loud music and a big setting can be overwhelming and confusing as well. So, I needed to seek out ways to cope and manage my anxiety and stress and the first step to helping cope with these is recognizing your emotions and coming in touch with them. Sometimes facing them head on is a lot better then brushing them off and pretending not to feel that way. It is better to face them and help yourself process your emotions and be mindful of what you’re feeling and what’s going on. Through coping with these, I have practiced different skills to help myself through these hard times and understand myself better.
#1: Meditation
Meditation has helped me immensely in relaxation and mindfulness. I first started meditating when I participated a few times in a meditation session with the Epilepsy Foundation. It was to help with anxiety and just talking with a group of people that were struggling with the same things. Meditation helps you to become more present in what’s happening at that moment and be aware of what’s happening and it helps train your brain to not think about the future or what could’ve been done in a better way. It helps with living in the now and forming a sense of gratitude and being thankful for what you have at that exact moment. The more you meditate, the more peaceful you become.
#2: Praying and Reading the Bible Praying and connecting with God can help relieve stress and be assured that you can get through things and God is always by your side. If you trust in God and let Him in and help then you can feel more loved and know that somebody cares for you. Talking to God daily definitely helps me and having a constant connection Day makes you feel loved. Reading the Bible is also a good stress reliever not let your mind wander and focus on the different books and chapters. Prayer and meditation are also a great combo also!
#3: Listening to Music and Playing instruments
For me, this is a must everyday. I am always listening to music at my house walking around with my portable speaker and always jamming out and singing so loud every chance I get! But, this is because I love it and this coping mechanism works for me! Music really just calms me down and is kind of an escape to just focus on that and make you feel good. It’s just you and the song and you can let go of all your worries and be connected to the music. I love hearing different beats and instruments and listening to different types of music. It is also exciting for me because I am a musician so hearing all of the different types of instruments and beats is very exciting for me to jam out to. I play the acoustic and electric guitar, drums, ukulele and the oboe. When I am feeling anxious or angry and upset about something, picking up my guitar and playing different chords and strumming patterns is something positive that I can focus on.
#4: Drawing and Painting
Drawing and painting can help you make a story in a way. I am also an artist and I make different paintings and drawings as well! Painting how you feel at that moment whether it’s anger, stress, happiness, love or anxiety you can pick different colors and different things to paint. Just focusing on a painting and the movement of your brush can shift your focus from sadness or anxious and help with mindfulness too.
#5: Reading a Book For me, reading is extremely boring. Some might think this is crazy but I just don’t find any joy or excitement in reading. However, I read the Bible and I have been reading books a little bit more and getting into them. I like reading books on success and personal growth, I have a few books on coping with epilepsy and religious books. I find those interesting because they make me think and the success and motivational books always help to remind myself that I am a hard worker and I just need to believe in myself more. Some people like reading different ones but finding a good book to enjoy that you can relate to can be very exciting.
#6: Being Surrounded by Family For me, my family is everything and they always know how to make me laugh and feel loved. It’s never too serious when it comes to my family because we’re Italian and always laughing and being loud and spreading love. Sometimes to de-stress or relax, hanging out and being with family can really help you feel good and you always know that you aren’t alone if you're stressed or anxious. It can help you know that people are there to always support you. Family will always be cheering you on and loving you and helping you with what ever you’re going through.
#7: Stepping back, Taking a Deep Breath, and Processing Your Emotions
Sometimes when I’m feeling anxious, I just stop and take some deep breaths and evaluate in my head what I am anxious or stressed about. I think about the fact that I can deal with this and then I think about the solutions. I sometimes used to think of the worst that can happen in a situation, and I’ve learned that it is a waste of time to worry about many things. I think about the solutions and how I can take the first step to coping or dealing with the situation whether I’m anxious, stressed or upset. It is good to get a journal and write down what it is that you're feeling, ways to improve it and write out the steps to do so. Take that first step to coping with it and follow through with those steps and you will feel better once you think of the positive ways to help yourself then the worst possibilities.
I hope my coping skills help you in your life journey when you are stressed about work, different situations, health related problems, things that make you anxious, or upset and just in everyday life!